The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-10-05
THE NATIONAL GAME.
The Base Ball Season Drawing 10 q
Close-Detrelt and st. Louis
the Winners.
President Spalding Interviewed-Ths
Present Season Successful
One.
[cH1cAao coRREsPoNDENoE.l

season of 1887 is now 30 near at hand that
there is little if any prospect OF any ma
terial change in the positions OF the lead
ing clubs in either the National League or
American Association as they stand at this
time. Up to the closing days OF last week ,
Chicago had some chance for beating the
heavy hitting Detroit team out in the race
"A slim chance, it is true, but still
chance, for all that. The result OF the
Boston series, however, has made 1t well
nigh impossible, or at least improb-
able, that the White Stockings will
finish better than second; and If they do
this with Philadelphia and New York play
ing ball for all they are worth with but one
object in view, viz: that of gaining a lead
over the White Stockings, Ansons men,
after reviewing the obstacles they have
overcome and the great race they ran dur
ing the early part of the season, may feel
highly eratifed at the record they have
made.
CHICAGo's COLTS.
The new playing talent which Chicago
has captured during the past ten days has
been showing up in good form in every
game in which it has participated. Sprague,
the young New England pitcher who made
his first appearance in Chicago uniform
in the last game at White Stocking park
with New York, is now voted good one by
his fellow players and by the Chicago
public, while Tebeau, the young player
whom Chicago took from Denver, has
shown himself to be great man with the
bat, between bases, and in the field. In
the selection of these players Capt. Arson
it11c antath "a
possesses when it comes to estimating the
worth of a ball-player.
Speaking of Arson, it will be remem-
bered that the Detroit Club ten days ago
offered the Chicago Club the sum of Sl0,-
600 for the release of the big first baseman,
and that the offer was promptly refused.
reporter dropped into President Spald-
ings Office the other day and was informed
by Mr.. Spaldlng that Detroit's offer had
been followed by one from the Pittsburgh
Club that organization offering $4,000
cash for the future services of Arson as
captain, manager, and first baseman.
1T would look queer to see old Arson
playing first base in the uniform of some
other club than Chicago, wouldn't it," the
rel orier asked.
Yes" was the reply of the Chicago
Club PRESIDENT, sit would look queer,
but you will never see it, at least so long as
i am President of the Chicago Club.
Arson l regard as the best club manager
III tie country to-day. Were he to leave
MS | do not know how 1 should replace
him"
"lou will not accept Pittsburg's offer,
them"
NO, sir. 1 will not even consider much
less accept it.
l"Now that the season of 1857 is near
an end, how do you think ii will COM
pare with other seasons in point of attend
ance, in the grade of ball played, in the
conduct and habits of the players, and in
the class of people who have patronized it?"
1T will compare favorably, very favor
ably, in all the points you mention. be-
lieye that the aggregate attendance at the
games OF the National League alone will
exceed that of last year by half a million Of
people, while as to the class of our patron
age | do not think a more respectable ele-
ment exists In any community than that
which is interested in and which is largely
represented at the games in each of the
cities in the League circuit. Doctors, law
yeis, bankers, ministers, and other pro-
fessional and business men prominent in
their communities are openly admirers Of
baseball and are In the majority, to-
gether with their wives and daughters,
among the occupants OF our grand stands.
A very gratifying change from the order Of
things which existed some years ago is
seen in the increased number of ladies at
the game. Why, | remember when we
could almost count upon their fingers the
representatives of the fair sex to be seen
at ball game, but now it is an every day
occurrence to'see fully one third or at least
one fourth Of the seats in the grand stand
of the Chicago Club occupied by ladies'.
The secret of all this is found
in the manner in which the game
is now conducted. AS it has become
popular, it has broadened in importance
until 1t has now became a great and legiti-
mate business in which hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars are circulated each year.
/ he salary lists of ten clubs will alone ag-
gregate not far from a quarter of a million
of money, and the amount invested in
grounds and the improvements thereon,
will easily exceed S150,000 more. The
players are held under discipline and man.
agement, which, while not so severe, is
fully as effective and as productive of as
good results as that of the army it
self. L may say upon this point,
too, that system and discipline are as
necessary in baseball as in the army. BY
this 1 do not mean to place our ball play
ers upon the same intellectual level with
the recruits of our army. / would, rather
compare them with the officers, who UNDER
and who not only exercise it toward their
subordinates, but apply it to themselves as
well. There are some things that seem a
little harsh in the contract which at pres
ent binds a ball player to his club, but if
such exist, they are more as measures of
protection to the club than as provisions
through which injustice or wrong may be
inflicted upon the men. 1 do not believe
there is q ball-player in the country to-day
who ever wore the uniform of the White
Stockings who can put his finger upon any
instance wherein he has suffered from
harsh treatment or injustice at the hands
of the Chicago Club. The good effect of
good business management and little
discipline may be seen by glance at the
situation to-day compared with that
of ten years ago. There is now
no intemperance among our play
ers. They are all in splendid
physical condition as result, and
able to play ball we'll worth looking at.
There is now none of the unfortunate
wrangling upon the field which used to bring
the game into disrepute in its younger
days, while everything works smoothly and
systematically and the clubs are in conse-
quence able to offer accommodations to
tba mn, blic cr,oh ~